The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 363: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI'S YOUNG CAPTAIN. NS LL Eee 307 “Caspar, however, had achieved a great success in capturing prisoners. “ But while all were in high spirits at our evident success, and at the prospect of soon driving the enemy into the river, couriers looking pale and sad passed by reporting that Juarez was wounded while personally leading an attack on a powerful battery, “This news wrought us all up to madness, and without leave or licence all pushed forward and assailed the enemy with irresistible fury, driving them down to the edge of the river in utter con- fusion and disorder. “Tt was now about four o’clock, and reinforce- ments were reported as rapidly advancing to Bazaine’s relief, but were yet several miles from the river’s edge. “From some cause I could never ascertain a halt was sounded, and when the remnants of the enemy’s divisions had stacked arms on the river’s edge pre- paratory to surrender, no one stirred to finish the business by a final assault. “Tt was evidently ‘drown or surrender’ with them. “And they had prepared for the latter, until seeing our inactivity, their gunboats opened furi- ously, and, save a short cannonade, all subsided into quietness along our lines. “Night came on, and great confusion reigned among us. ‘‘ Thousands were out in quest of plunder. ‘‘ Hundreds had escorted prisoners and wounded. “Scores were intoxicated with wines and liquors found, “ Vet still the gunboats continued their bombard- ment, and reinforcements arriving in haste, crossed the river, and formed line of battle for the morrow. “Tt could not be denied that we had gained a great victory. “Thousands of prisoners were in our hands, in- cluding many officers of all ranks, “We captured many pieces of cannon, enormous quantities of ammunition, and stores of every sort. “Many hundreds of tents, camp equipage, hun- dreds of horses and waggons, much clothing, and eatables of every possible description. Many standards were ours, and in fact, waggon- loads of everything pertaining to the camps and commissariat of a superabundantly and lavishly supplied enemy. “But where were our men? “ With the exception of a few thousands of well- disciplined men under Escobedo, and others, our whole army had scattered far and near, as very young and raw troops always will, if not kept firmly in hand. “And yet our outposts brought word hourly that large masses of the escemy were moving across our whole front, and it could not be doubted that ere the sun again rose, the whole of Bazaine’s forces combined would be hurled upon us, weak, wounded, and scattered as we were. “Although Escobedo had committed a great mistake in not pushing the enemy to conclusions the day before, he exerted himself untiringly for the morrow. + ‘“Stragglers were gathered, positions taken, and the greatest exertions made to secure the invaluable spoil of the battle-field. - “Every spare horse and waggon 1n the service was employed in the work, and property worth many millions was conveyed to the rear during the night. “The artillery were sorely taxed, “Their horses were occasionally used in trans- OSE EE ———————— CO porting supplies during the night, and could scarcely get an hour’s rest. “Couriers and orderlies were dashing to and fro all night, inquiring for this general or that, who could not be found. “Despatch bearers looking for Escobedo and other chiefs, ‘“Thousands of wounded were moaning and groaning all around us, “Large fires were consuming everything that could not be transported. “And so it continued until cocks on neighbouring farms crowed the hour of midnight. ‘“Wearied beyond all expression, I lay down on bundles of straw, with my feet to the fire, and soon was fast asleep. _ “IT know not how long: I slept, but it seemed that in my dreams, I heard constant picket-firing going, hurried voices, and clanking of chains. ““When I was awakened, the battery was about to move off. “So shaking myself, I saddled, and was soon on the move. ‘“‘Tt seems that battle was inevitable. ‘‘And although not yet twilight, our men were moving to and fro, and all seemed inspired with new life and confidence. ; “ Hvery where large fires indicated the destruction of property, which plainly showed that Escobedo did not consider himself strong enough to hold the ground any longer, ‘“ Just at dawn picket fighting became angry and rapid. “Tn an hour after sunrise we fired our first shot, “ Bazaine had gathered his shattered regiments and brigades as best he could. ‘‘ But when our men met them, they gave ground, and every one thought for some time that victory would crown our efforts a second time, “But after we bad wasted our newly-regained strength on the dispirited battalions of the day before, in came fresh troops, and terrible fighting ensued. “In some places we drove them by unexampled feats of valour. “ But man is nothing more than bone and blood, and sheer exhaustion was hourly telling upon both man and beast. “Until about noon we retained the ground heroically. ‘‘But it became evident every moment that numbers and strength must prevail. “So that although we had gained everything up to this hour, a retreat was ordered. | ‘Escobedo had prepared all the roads for this movement, ‘There was no hurry or confusion. “ Everything was conducted as if in review. We slowly fell back, leaving little of consequence be- hind. ‘ “ We thus in an orderly manner fell back about two miles, and obtaining a favourable position for our small force, re-formed line of battle, and waited several hours. “ The enemy did not stir. “ They seemed content to hold the field and not pursue, and did not move five hundred yards from their original position of the morning. “Tt having become known during the night that the enemy had despatched a strong force to cut off our retreat, Caspar was sent off witha respectable number of men to drive them from Pontsville Ferry, which they occupied. We were ordered to go in another direction for the same purpose with two Comicbooks